1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to rail cars and more specifically, to an improved rail car for transporting wood chips and other bulk material, and to a converted box car and method for converting a conventional box car to a wood chip gondola car.
2. Summary of the Prior Art
Wood chips are conventionally transported by rail car or truck trailer from a site having equipment for reducing trees to chip form to remote collection points at pulp mills and the like. Wood chips are a particularly difficult material to load and unload due to their unique physical characteristics. The surface friction of the chips as well the shape of pieces, which tend to interlock with each other, causes the bulk material to adhere together in mass and hinder handling and unloading through use of conventional commodity carrying cars, such as hoppers and gondolas. In fact, the industry prefers to unload wood chips from trailers and rail cars by scoop bearing tractors due to the characteristics of the wood chips and in some instances, due to the adverse climate conditions under which the equipment is operated.
Wood chips are dispensed at the tree felling site from equipment that blows the material into the rail car or trailer. An example of a prior technique of handling wood chips is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,866,769 to Morey et al directed to a technique for removing wood chips from a trailer for deposit into a pile. Among several shortcomings the foregoing system of the Morey et al patent is not suitable for use with large wood chip dispensers that blow the material into a rail car from above. Prior rail cars for hauling wood chips have also not been highly satisfactory from the standpoint of providing economical and effective equipment for receiving the commodity at the loading port, transporting the material to collection sites, and unloading the wood chips from the rail car.
In addition, because of changes in the freight industry, many box cars, formerly in service, now lie idle and out of operation. The basic design of a box car renders it unsuitable for operation for hauling wood chips in present needs. It is therefore extremely desirable for reasons of economy that such idle equipment be capable of being converted into a useful rail car, such as for transporting wood chips.